Image communication apparatus

Abstract

An image communication apparatus includes a plurality of communication units each for performing communication. A first control device serves to generate and control communication jobs of executing communications of image information by the respective communication units, and serves to generate and control a sequence of the communication jobs in accordance with types of the communication units. A second control device serves to perform processes by which the communication units independently start and end the communication jobs generated by the first control device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image communication apparatus comprising: a plurality of different types of communication units each connectable to lines of different types so different ones of the communication units are connectable only to certain of said lines with which they are compatible, at least one of the units being connected to a line for only receiving information signals and at least another of the units being connected to a line for transmitting and receiving information signals;   an operating portion responsive to operator arbitrary settings for uses of the lines, said operator arbitrary settings including an exclusive reception use and a reception and transmission dual use;   a recording portion responsive to the operating portion for registering the communication units as different types respectively on the basis of said settings of the uses;   a display portion for selecting and displaying one of plural representations of communication conditions of the respective communication units; and   a control portion responsive to the recording portion registering that communications of the same type are to be simultaneously executed by the communication units for controlling the display portion to select and display a representation of communication conditions of a communication unit having the most recent communication starting time.   
     
     
       2. An image communication apparatus comprising: a plurality of different types of communication units each connectable to lines of different types so different ones of the communication units are connectable only to certain of said lines with which they are compatible, at least one of the units being connected to a line for only receiving information signals and at least another of the units being connected to a line for transmitting and receiving information signals;   an operating portion responsive to operator arbitrary settings of uses of the lines, said operator arbitrary settings including an exclusive reception use and a reception and transmission dual use;   a recording portion responsive to the operating portion for registering the communication units as different types respectively on the basis of said settings of the uses;   a display portion for selecting and displaying one of plural representations of communication conditions of the respective communication units; and   a control portion responsive to the recording portion registering that communications of different types are to be simultaneously executed by different ones of the communication units for controlling the display portion to select and display a representation of communication conditions of a communication unit which is currently executing the transmission.   
     
     
       3. An image communication apparatus comprising: a plurality of different types of communication units each connectable to lines of different types so different ones of the communication units are connectable only to certain of said lines with which they are compatible, at least one of the units being connected to a line for only receiving information signals and at least another of the units being connected to a line for transmitting and receiving information signals;   an operating portion for performing operations related to communications using the communication units, said operating portion responding to arbitrary settings for uses of the communication units, said operator arbitrary settings including an exclusive reception use and a reception and transmission dual use;   a display portion for selectively displaying representations of communication conditions of the respective communication units or representation of other conditions; and   a control portion responsive to the operating portion indicating telephone reservations are to be coupled to the lines for (a) accepting the telephone reservations via one of the communication units only when conditions of said one communication unit are communicated to and displayed by the display portion and are being currently executed and (b) executing speech communication via said one communication unit after the communication of the accepted telephone represenations ends so the communication units are connected to lines compatible therewith.